SEC/TOP 25 WOMEN
NO. 11 TENNESSEE 59, NO. 7 STANFORD 40
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee is starting to play the kind of defense its coach has wanted to see from the Lady Volunteers.
Ariel Massengale scored 14 of her 18 points in the second half Saturday as the 11th-ranked Lady Vols breezed past No. 7 Stanford 59-40 for their fifth consecutive victory. Never before in its storied history had Tennessee held a top-10 opponent to such a low points total.
"I loved it," Tennessee Coach Holly Warlick said. "I'm sure everybody else loved watching it. I enjoyed watching it."
Her former boss enjoyed it as well.
After viewing the game from her seat at Thompson-Boling Arena, former Tennessee Coach Pat Summitt tweeted: "Great defensive effort today by Lady Vol hoops! A lot of fun to watch. Enjoy your five-day Christmas break."
Stanford (6-4) has lost consecutive games for the first time since December 2010 and has been held to fewer than 50 points in back-to-back games for the first time since 1976-77. The Cardinal lost 54-46 at Chattanooga on Wednesday.
"We've played a lot better than that," Stanford Coach Tara VanDerveer said. "To compliment Tennessee, they came out with a lot of energy. They worked really hard. They were extremely physical. I don't think we adjusted."
Tennessee hasn't allowed any of its past five opponents to exceed 51 points.
"I think it's finally starting to click for us," Massengale said. "We're starting to see how good we really can be on the defensive end of the floor."
Stanford had 20 turnovers and two assists. After Lili Thompson's three-pointer cut Tennessee's lead to 31-22 with 14:44 remaining, Massengale scored the game's next eight points to put the Lady Vols in command.
Massengale made four three-pointers and scored 14 points in a span of just more than five minutes to spark a 16-2 run.
Tennessee's football and men's basketball teams watched the game from the student section. But the Lady Vols made the biggest impression on the spectator who led the program to win eight national titles.
"I don't have a stare and I'm not Pat Summitt," said Warlick, a former assistant on Summitt's staff. "But you form your philosophies, and I was with her when she did that. If she didn't teach me anything [else], she taught me how to know the game and understand what's important. That's going to continue with us -- defense, rebounding and playing hard and giving your effort."
NO. 1 SOUTH CAROLINA 80, CENTRAL MICHIGAN 45
MINNEAPOLIS -- Tiffany Mitchell withstood a bloody nose and a tough assignment in Crystal Bradford to help No. 1 South Carolina (11-0) beat Central Michigan (4-4) in the Minnesota Subway Classic.
The Gamecocks are off to the best start in program history, one victory shy of tying the school record for consecutive victories in a season.
Mitchell, the reigning SEC player of year, briefly caused a delay in the game when she took a hit to the nose about 14 minutes into the game, drawing blood. Mitchell returned and finished with 18 points, 5 steals and 4 rebounds in a scoring bout with Bradford, the reigning Mid-American Conference Player of the year who finished with 20 points for Central Michigan.
Alaina Coates added 16 points on 7-of-10 shooting and had 10 rebounds for South Carolina.
South Carolina outscored the Chippewas 43-21 after halftime.
NO. 15 GEORGIA 58, FURMAN 51
ATHENS, Ga. -- Shacobia Barbee scored a career-high 25 points to go with 12 rebounds and 5 steals as No. 15 Georgia (11-0) scored the last seven points to close out Furman (9-4).
Krista Donald's layup with 4:34 left gave the Bulldogs the lead for good, and Barbee's three-pointer from the right wing made it 56-51 with 1:53 to play.
Marjorie Butler made two free throws to cap the scoring with 29 seconds left.
Allison Beasley's three-pointer gave Furman its last lead at 46-45. Georgia scored six consecutive, and Furman answered with a 5-0 run to tie it at 51.
Merritt Hempe chipped in 14 points and 11 rebounds for the Bulldogs, who had 27 offensive rebounds and edged the Paladins on the glass 45-34.
Sarah Durdaller led Furman with 19 points and 12 rebounds.
Sports on 12/21/2014